Are you losing sleep because your bed mate stops breathing, makes choking sounds and gasps for air? This condition is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

An OSA sufferer can stop breathing as many as 100 times each night when the soft tissues in the mouth collapse into the airway. The lungs struggle to catch a breath—choking sounds—until the chest muscles can force the airway to open—the gasp.

OSA affects about 18 million people in the U.S. and can be life-threatening. OSA increases the person's risk for a heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. Lack of continuous, restful sleep puts the sufferer at high risk of being involved in an auto accident and an inability to efficiently and safely function during the day.

OSA often goes undiagnosed because the person may be embarrassed to confide in us that there is a problem. Yet, OSA is easily diagnosed and treated, even from the dental office.

If you or someone you love has OSA (or is just someone who snores), the solution can be as simple as a custom-fitted mouthpiece to prevent the tongue and other soft tissues from collapsing into the throat. We would take an impression here in our office and send it to a lab where the technician will create your custom mouthpiece.

Call us right away and schedule a consultation so you and your partner can get the sleep you need and enjoy beautiful dreams together!